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County Employment and Wages in Mississippi — Fourth Quarter 2024
Employment rose in both large counties in Mississippi from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Hinds County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 0.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Mississippi, December 2024
County
Percent change, December 2024
Hinds
0.6
Harrison
0.4
Among the two large counties in Mississippi, employment was highest in Hinds (109,600) in December 2024. Together, the two largest counties accounted for 16.9 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.)
Large county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter 2024
Both large Mississippi counties reported average weekly wage gains over the year. (See chart 2.) Harrison had the largest gain (+4.2 percent) followed by Hinds (+4.0 percent).
Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Mississippi, fourth quarter 2024
County
Percent change, fourth quarter 2024
Harrison
4.2
Hinds
4.0
Weekly wages in both large counties in Mississippi were below the national average of $1,507. Average weekly wages were $1,187 in Hinds and $948 in Harrison.
Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 80 small counties in Mississippi, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all 80 smaller counties were below the national average. Claiborne reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,261). Issaquena reported the lowest average weekly wage ($687) in the state.
Among all 82 Mississippi counties, 25 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 19 registered wages from $850 to $899, 11 had wages from $900 to $949, 6 had wages from $950 to $999, and 21 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)
Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Mississippi, fourth quarter 2024
(U.S. average = $1,507)
Additional statistics and other information
QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3.
Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.
The County Employment and Wages release for first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
QCEW Moves to One Data Release Beginning with Fourth Quarter 2024 Publication
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) is streamlining its release process. Beginning with the fourth quarter 2024 national release on June 4, QCEW will publish the national County Employment and Wages news release on the same date as the QCEW full data update. Revised news release dates are available online.
Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the two largest counties in Mississippi, fourth quarter 2024
Footnotes: (1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications. (3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. (4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Mississippi, fourth quarter 2024
Footnotes: (1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, fourth quarter 2024
Footnotes: (1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. (3) Data not included in the national ranking.
Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.
United States Department of Labor
